Martes gwatkinsii, Pinel, 1792
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publication ID |
https://doi.org/ 10.5281/zenodo.5714044 |
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DOI |
https://doi.org/10.5281/zenodo.5714071 |
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persistent identifier |
https://treatment.plazi.org/id/038F87D4-CA5B-FFB4-CAAB-38F2FC14F67B |
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treatment provided by |
Conny |
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scientific name |
Martes gwatkinsii |
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Nilgiri Marten
French: Martre des Nilgiri / German: Sidindischer Buntmarder / Spanish: Marta india
Taxonomy. Martes gwatkinsii Horsfield, 1851 View in CoL ,
Madras, India.
The Nilgiri Marten has been considered a subspecies of the Yellow-throated Marten by some authors. Monotypic.
Distribution. India (Western Ghats). View Figure
Descriptive notes. Head-body 50-70 cm (male), tail 35-50 cm (male); weight 1-3 kg (male). The Nilgiri Marten is very similar to the Yellow-throated Marten. The pelage is mostly dark brown; the shoulders and torso are rufous-brown. There are distinct rusty-yellow to lemon-yellow markings on the throat. The skull is low and flat.
Habitat. Forests, between 120 and 2383 m elevation.
Food and Feeding. Very little known, but there are reports of Nilgiri Martens preying on crows, Indian Giant Squirrels (Ratufa indica), Indian Spotted Chevrotains (Tragulus meminna), and Bengal monitor lizards (Varanus bengalensis), and feeding on honey and nectar.
Activity patterns. Appear to be diurnal. Nilgiri Martens are seen on the ground, but they atleast partly arboreal as several recent sightings were of individuals in the canopy or in the hollows of trees (Elaeocarpus sp.).
Movements, Home range and Social organization. Solitary individuals and pairs have been seen.
Breeding. Nothing known.
Status and Conservation. CITES Appendix III ( India). Classified as Vulnerable in IUCN Red List. Very little is known about this species;it is a high priority for field studies to learn more about its natural history, ecology, and conservation status.
Bibliography. Balakrishnan (2005), Christopher & Jayson (1996), Kurup & Joseph (2001), Madhusudan (1995), Pocock (1941a), Wirth & Van Rompaey (1991), Wozencraft (2005).
No known copyright restrictions apply. See Agosti, D., Egloff, W., 2009. Taxonomic information exchange and copyright: the Plazi approach. BMC Research Notes 2009, 2:53 for further explanation.
